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Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. The NHL playoffs are almost finished with the Conference Finals, with one team already advanced to the SCF. Steve and I will get you caught up with everything that has happened in both series. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The International hockey minute and our picks of the week.

Evander Kaneand the San Jose Sharks are closing in on a seven-year contract that could be finalized on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported. The 26-year-old forward can become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NHL career July 1. Kane was acquired by the Sharks in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres for forward Danny O’Regan and conditional first- and fourth-round picks in the 2019 NHL Draft on Feb. 26. Under the terms of that trade, the Sabres would receive San Jose’s first-round pick in the 2019 draft instead of a second-round selection if Kane re-signs with San Jose. The selection is lottery-protected and could be moved to 2020.

David Quinn is expected to be named coach of the New York Rangers, according to Sportsnet and the New York Post. Steve will have more on this as it is his pick of the week.

Antti Niemisigned a one-year, $950,000 contract with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. The 34-year-old goalie, who could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1, was 7-9-4 with a 3.12 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 24 games (20 starts) with three teams this season. Niemi went 7-5-4 with a 2.46 GAA, .929 save percentage and one shutout in 19 games (17 starts) with Montreal, filling in for injured starter Carey Price. The Canadiens claimed Niemi off waivers from the Florida Panthers on Nov. 14. He went 0-1-0 with a 5.08 GAA and .872 save percentage in two starts with Florida.

Paul Fenton was hired as general manager of the Minnesota Wild on Monday. Fenton replaces Chuck Fletcher, who was fired April 23. Fenton received a multiyear contract to oversee the Wild hockey operations department. Fenton, 58, spent the past 20 seasons with the Nashville Predators, including the previous 12 as assistant GM, helping them qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 11 of the past 14 seasons and reach the Cup Final in 2017. He was part of the management group that drafted defensemen Roman Josi, Ryan Suterand Shea Weber, and goalie Pekka Rinne.

The St. Louis Blues home arena will be called Enterprise Center as part of a 15-year naming-rights agreement announced Monday. The name change takes effect July 1. The building, which opened in 1994, has been called Scottrade Center since 2006. It previously was Kiel Center (1994-2000) and Savvis Center (2000-06).

When Marian Hossamissed last season with a progressive skin disorder, it left a huge void in the Chicago Blackhawks lineup. They lost a forward who was as good at preventing goals as he was at scoring them, who was a big part of every facet of their game, from 5-on-5 to the power play to the penalty kill. Now that void is permanent. Hossa told the Slovakian newspaper Novy Cas he is done playing hockey. The 39-year-old has three years remaining on the 12-year contract he signed with the Blackhawks on July 1, 2009, but played his last game for Chicago on April 20, 2017, against the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round. “Since then, I haven’t (put the gear on). Not even a single one time,” Hossa told the newspaper. “I’ve been on the ice couple of times just to skate with my daughters, but I haven’t had my hockey gear on.” Hossa’s statement was disappointing but not surprising. He was on long-term injured reserve last season and the chances of him returning to play never looked good. At the Blackhawks’ final media session of the season April 10, general manager Stan Bowman said, “[Hossa’s] physical condition hasn’t improved, so at this point there’s no indication he’s going to play next year, either.” Hossa had 1,134 points (525 goals, 609 assists) in 1,309 games in 19 NHL seasons for the Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings and Blackhawks. He had 149 points (52 goals, 97 assists) in 205 NHL playoff games and won the Stanley Cup three times with the Blackhawks.

Wayne: Clinton, New York, the winner of Kraft Hockeyville™ USA 2018, will host the Buffalo Sabres® and Columbus Blue Jackets® NHL preseason game on September 25, 2018, Kraft Heinz, the National Hockey League (NHL®) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced today. The central New York historic village earned its designation as this year’s most spirited hockey community in America, $150,000 in rink upgrades and the opportunity to host the NHL matchup after amassing the most votes in the online Kraft Hockeyville USA™ 2018 contest.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

Share this:

Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. The NHL playoffs are well into the Conference Finals. Steve and I will get you caught up with everything that has happened in both series. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The International hockey minute and our picks of the week

Mark Barberiosigned a two-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. Cap Friendly says 2yr, $2.9M total. The 28-year-old defenseman could have been an unrestricted free agent July 1. He matched an NHL personal high with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) this season despite missing 36 games with an upper-body injury. He had one assist and averaged 22:18 of ice time in Colorado’s six-game loss to the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference First Round.

Kyle Dubas was named general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, replacing Lou Lamoriello, who left the position April 30 to shift into a role as senior adviser. Dubas, 32, becomes the second-youngest GM in the NHL; Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka is 28. Dubas was assistant general manager since being hired by Toronto on July 22, 2014. https://www.nhl.com/news/kyle-dubas-named-general-manager-of-toronto/c-298564704

Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempnyhas been fined $2,419.35, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for cross-checking Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cedric Paquette during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final in Tampa on Sunday, May 13, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced on 5/14. The incident occurred at 6:55 of the third period. Kempny was assessed a minor penalty for cross-checking.

Other Interesting Stories:

Clare Drake, the winningest coach in Canadian college hockey history and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, died Sunday. He was 89. Clare Drake, the winningest coach in Canadian college hockey history and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, died Sunday. He was 89. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

Share this:

Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. The NHL playoffs are wrapping up round 2 and heading into round 3. Steve and I will get you caught up with everything that has happened in each series. Plus, we will also Preview Round 3. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The NCAA hockey minute and our picks of the week

Rod Brind’Amourwas named coach of the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. Don Waddell was also named Carolina president and general manager. Brind’Amour, 47, an assistant and development coach for Carolina since June 7, 2011, will replace Bill Peters, who resigned April 20 and was hired as coach of the Calgary Flames three days later. Brind’Amour was captain of the Hurricanes when they won the Stanley Cup with a seven-game victory in the Final against the Edmonton Oilers in 2006. “Rod is the greatest leader in the history of this franchise and has earned the opportunity to take charge of our locker room,” Waddell said. “We spoke to a number of candidates for this position, but our conversations with staff and players consistently returned to the same person. Rod’s fresh ideas, ability to motivate, and understanding of what it takes to bring a championship to Raleigh will help our young team take the next step toward competing to bring the Cup back to North Carolina.” Brind’Amour played 20 seasons in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers and Hurricanes. A two-time winner of the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward, he retired June 30, 2010, with 1,184 points (452 goals, 732 assists) in 1,484 NHL games. “I’m excited for Rod to have that opportunity,” Hurricanes forward Justin Williams, who played with Brind’Amour on Carolina’s 2006 Cup-winning team, told The News & Observer on Tuesday. “He’s seen so much, so many coaches in his time, he’s learned from them, he deserves a chance to make it his own. I’ve got a lot of time for Rod. He means a lot to me in my hockey career. Absolutely, I’m going to endorse him.”

Jim Montgomery was hired as coach of the Dallas Stars on Friday. The 48-year-old has coached the past five seasons at the University of Denver and won the NCAA championship in 2017. He replaces Ken Hitchcock, who retired April 13. Montgomery said he wants the Stars to push the pace and pressure opponents. “For the Dallas Stars fan, if you can think of an adjective of what we’re going to look like, it’s going to be relentless,” Montgomery said. “We’re going to be a puck-possession team and we’re going to try and make plays everywhere on the ice. When we don’t have the puck, we’re going to pressure you so we can get it back and make more plays. “I think you look at the championship teams that have won in the NHL. … The teams play a certain way. There’s structure to their game but there’s creativity and flair to it too. You have to let horses run. Everyone should look the same when we don’t have the puck, and when we do have the puck, everyone should play to their strengths.” Montgomery is the fourth coach to go directly from college to his first NHL job, joining Philadelphia Flyers coach Dave Hakstol, who came from the University of North Dakota in 2015; Bob Johnson, who went to the Calgary Flames from the University of Wisconsin in 1982; and Ned Harkness, who took over the Detroit Red Wings in 1970 after coaching at Cornell. Among the NHL players who played for Montgomery are New Jersey Devils defenseman Will Butcher, Boston Bruins forward Danton Heinen, Anaheim Ducks forward Troy Terry, and Florida Panthers forward Henrik Borgstrom. Montgomery played pro hockey for 12 seasons, including 122 NHL games with the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Stars. https://www.nhl.com/news/jim-montgomery-named-dallas-stars-coach/c-298396532

Cory Schneiderof the New Jersey Devils is expected to miss training camp in September, and perhaps the start of next season, after having surgery May 1 to repair torn cartilage in his left hip. The Devils said the 32-year-old goaltender will need about five months to recover. He missed 16 regular-season games with a groin/hip injury sustained in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Jan. 23, and went 0-10-2 with a 4.04 goals-against average and .863 save percentage in 12 games prior to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Schneider replaced Keith Kinkaid for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round and made 34 saves in a 5-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. New Jersey lost the best-of-7 series in five games.

Left wing Taylor Hallis expected to be ready for the start of camp after he had surgery April 30 to repair torn ligaments in his left hand. The 26-year-old was injured in late December. He had 18 goals and 20 assists during a 26-game point streak from Jan. 2-March 6 (he missed three games from Jan. 22-25 with a thumb injury), and went on a 19-game point streak (13 goals, 13 assists) to set a Devils record after returning from the injury. He had a nine-game run (eight goals, nine assists) from March 18-April 3.

Forward Patrick Maroon had surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back May 2. The Devils said the 30-year-old will be able to resume offseason training and preparation programs before the start of camp.

Boston Bruins forward David Backes will not return for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday after sustaining an injury in the second period. Backes was injured when he was hit by Lightning forward T. Miller at 12:17. He laid motionless on the ice with a trainer tending to him for more than a minute, then was eventually helped up and off the ice by teammates Jake DeBrusk and Kevan Miller before he was aided by two trainers down the tunnel to the dressing room. Backes played 14 shifts totaling 6:53 before the injury. He has three points (two goals, one assist) in 12 playoff games for the Bruins after finishing the regular season with 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 57 games.

Torey Krugwill not play for the Boston Bruins for the remainder of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, starting with Game 5 at Amalie Arena on Sunday (3 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVAS) because of a left-ankle injury. Krug reportedly was seen leaving TD Garden using crutches and with his foot in a walking boot following the Bruins’ 4-3 overtime loss in Game 4 on Friday. He was injured when he went ankle-first into the boards with Lightning forward Alex Killorn behind him at 8:30 of the third period. Krug is fourth on the Bruins with 12 points (three goals, nine assists), including seven assists on the power play.

Other Bruins players were injured before the Lightning series. Center Patrice Bergeronsaid he played through a groin injury, which sidelined him five games in October. He’s hoping a few weeks of rest will allow him to avoid surgery. Forward Riley Nash played through a hip injury that he hopes will heal without surgery, and said he missed the final five games of the regular season and first two games of the playoffs because of a concussion. Forward Jake DeBrusk (shoulder), defenseman Zdeno Chara (shoulder/finger) and forward Brad Marchand (groin) also are hoping to heal through rest rather than surgery. One Bruins player who does need surgery is forward Noel Acciari, to repair a sports hernia/groin injury.

Zach Werenskicould miss training camp and the start of next season with the Columbus Blue Jackets after having shoulder surgery Thursday, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. Full recovery for the defenseman is expected to take 5-6 months.

Brad Marchandof the Boston Bruins was put on notice by the NHL on Saturday that his actions in the second period of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday were unacceptable and that similar behavior in the future will be dealt with by way of supplemental discipline. The forward and Bruins general manager Don Sweeney spoke Saturday with NHL senior executive vice president Colin Campbell. Marchand this season was suspended five games for elbowing New Jersey Devils forward Marcus Johansson on Jan. 23, and was fined $5,000 for cross-checking Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Andrew McDonald on April 1. Marchand also was suspended two games at the end of last season for spearing Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jake Dotchin; three games for clipping Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki in 2015-16; two games for slew-footing New York Rangers forward Derick Brassard in 2014-15; and five games for clipping Vancouver Canucks defenseman Sami Salo in 2011-12. Marchand ranks fourth in the Stanley Cup Playoff scorers with 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 11 games. He was Boston’s leading scorer in the regular season, with 85 points (34 goals, 51 assists). https://www.nhl.com/news/brad-marchand-ready-to-change-behavior-in-future/c-298541374

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilsonhas been suspended for three games for an illegal check to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese during Game 3 of the teams’ Second Round series in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, May 1, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced last Wed (after we recorded). The incident occurred at 9:38 of the second period.

Bill Torrey, the architect of the New York Islanders dynasty in the early 1980s and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, died Wednesday. He was 83. Torrey was serving as a special adviser to the general manager and an alternate governor of the Florida Panthers, the team he worked for since leaving the Islanders in 1992. “Bill was the first employee, general manager and architect of one of the greatest dynasties in NHL history: the New York Islanders, winners of four straight Stanley Cups,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “He was the first president of the Florida Panthers and built the organization into one of the most successful expansion franchises in League history; the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final in just their third season of existence. And his imprint is on virtually every team in our league, as he personally mentored and inspired generations of NHL general managers who have followed him and established the team-building blueprint based upon scouting, drafting and player development that today remains the model for lasting success. Torrey, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995, leaves a legacy few hockey executives can match. After being hired by the Islanders as their first employee on Feb. 15, 1972, Torrey began surrounding himself with people on and off the ice who built a franchise that would win 19 consecutive Stanley Cup Playoff series, a record for any major North American sport. With the help of Hockey Hall of Fame member Jim Devellano, Torrey constructed one of the greatest dynasties in the history of professional sports. The first piece arrived at the NHL Expansion Draft in 1972, when the Islanders selected goaltender Billy Smith. With the No. 1 pick in the 1973 NHL Draft, the Islanders chose defenseman and future captain Denis Potvin. When Potvin and his teammates reported to camp before the 1973-74 season, they were greeted by arguably the most important hire of Torrey’s time with the Islanders, coach Al Arbour. By 1975 the Islanders were an NHL force. They upset the New York Rangers in the NHL Preliminary Round on an overtime goal by J.P. Parise at Madison Square Garden, then trailed 3-0 in the NHL Quarterfinals before defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games, becoming the second team in NHL history to win a series after losing the first three games, New York nearly did it again in the NHL Semifinals, trailing 3-0 before losing to the defending Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7. Torrey added two crucial pieces at the 1977 NHL Draft when he selected Mike Bossy (No. 15) and John Tonelli (No. 33) in the first two rounds. Bossy went on to be one of the most prolific goal-scorers in NHL history, with 573 in 10 seasons. Tonelli provided plenty of grit and a knack for scoring timely goals. New York won its first of four straight Stanley Cup titles May 24, 1980, when Nystrom scored in overtime in Game 6 against Philadelphia. The Islanders won again in 1981, 1982 and 1983, and advanced to the 1984 Cup Final, losing to the Edmonton Oilers. Their 19 consecutive series victories are an NHL record. Torrey was named president of the expansion Panthers on April 19, 1993. Three years later, the Panthers became the fastest post 1967-expansion NHL team to reach the Stanley Cup Final; they were swept by the Colorado Avalanche.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

Share this:

Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. Round 2 of the NHL playoffs is under way, and all 4 series look to be as competitive as ever. Steve and I will get you caught up with everything that has happened in each series. Spoiler alert: all 4 series started off 1 to 1. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The NCAA hockey minute and our picks of the week.

Ron Francis had his contract terminated by the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. Francis had been removed as general manager and named president of hockey operations March 7. He had been the GM since replacing Jim Rutherford on April 24, 2014. Francis had worked in various roles for the Hurricanes since 2006. Carolina president Don Waddell has been leading the search for a new general manager, who will report directly to owner Tom Dundon. Francis spent 16 of his 23 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers, and is the franchise leader in goals (382), assists (793) and points (1,175). He retired as an NHL player before the 2005-06 season and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. His #10 also hangs in the rafters of the PNC Arena. Joe Nieuwendyk also resigned as Hurricanes pro scout and adviser. He had 1,126 points (564 goals, 562 assists) in 1,257 NHL games and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

Lou Lamoriello will not return as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs but will remain with the organization in the role of senior adviser. When Lamoriello, 75, was hired July 23, 2015, the plan was for him to be GM for three years before transitioning to senior adviser for the following four years. Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said Monday he decided it was best to adhere to the original plan. https://www.nhl.com/news/lou-lamoriello-out-as-general-manager-of-toronto/c-298345734

Brian Burke is leaving his position as Calgary Flames president of hockey operations and will join Sportsnet for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as an analyst, beginning this weekend. Burke, 62, had been with the Flames since Sept. 5, 2013 and hired general manager Brad Treliving on April 28, 2014. In Burke’s five seasons, the Flames made the Stanley Cup Playoffs twice. This season they finished fifth in the Pacific Division and 11 points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. https://www.nhl.com/news/brian-burke-out-as-calgary-president-of-hockey-operations/c-298291282

Rick Dudley was hired as senior vice president of hockey operations for the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. Dudley, 69, was senior vice president of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens for the previous six seasons. Dudley will report to Hurricanes president Don Waddell, furthering a relationship that dates to 1986, when Dudley was coach of Flint in the International Hockey League and hired Waddell as an assistant. They worked together most recently with the Atlanta Thrashers when Waddell, then general manager, hired Dudley as assistant GM in 2009.

Chris Tierneywill center the No. 1 line for the San Jose Sharks against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round at SAP Center on Monday. Tierney will replace Joonas Donskoi, who sustained a lower-body injury in a 4-3 double-overtime win in Game 2 on Saturday, on a line with Joe Pavelski and Evander Kane. Pavelski moves from center to wing and Kane returns after a one-game suspension for cross-checking forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare in the third period of a 7-0 win by the Golden Knights in Game 1 on Thursday.

Nico Hischierwill have his left wrist and hand immobilized for 2-4 weeks because of an injury the New Jersey Devils rookie forward played through all season. Hischier, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, won’t need surgery to repair the injury, the Devils announced Thursday, but it will keep him from playing for Switzerland at the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Denmark from May 4-20. The 19-year-old, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, had 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in 82 regular-season games, second on the Devils behind Taylor Hall (93 points; 39 goals, 54 assists). Hischier scored one goal in New Jersey’s five-game loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference First Round.

Tom Wilsonwill have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Wednesday. The Washington Capitals forward is facing discipline for an illegal check to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round. The incident occurred 9:47 into the second period. Wilson was not penalized. Aston-Reese left the game, and the Penguins said he has a broken jaw and a concussion and will be out for the rest of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Wilson assisted on the tying goal in Washington’s 4-3 win that gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.

Todd McLellan will return for a fourth season as coach of the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers were 36-40-6 and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season after reaching the Western Conference Second Round in 2017, their only postseason appearance since 2006. Edmonton was sixth in the Pacific Division and 17 points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. https://www.nhl.com/news/todd-mclellan-to-return-as-oilers-coach/c-298295694

The National Hockey League will return to China in September for a pair of preseason games between the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames as part of the 2018 O.R.G. NHL China Games™, the NHL®, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and Bloomage International jointly announced today. On Saturday, Sept. 15, the Flames will play host to the Bruins at Shenzhen Universiade Sports Center in Shenzhen, and on Wednesday, Sept. 19, the Bruins will play host to the Flames at Cadillac Arena in Beijing. The matchups in September will be the third and fourth preseason contests played in China following the 2017 NHL China Games™ presented by O.R.G. Packaging, which included games in Shanghai and Beijing between the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks. https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-china-games-2018-calgary-flames-boston-bruins/c-298379832

Jim Montgomery will be hired as coach of the Dallas Stars this week, according to TSN. Montgomery, 48, has coached the past five seasons at the University Denver. He told his players Wednesday that he has agreed in principle to become Stars coach, according to the Denver Post. Montgomery declined to comment when reached by the newspaper. Among the players Montgomery has sent to the NHL are New Jersey Devils defenseman Will Butcher, Boston Bruins forward Danton Heinen, Anaheim Ducks forward Troy Terry, and Florida Panthers forward Henrik Borgstrom. Montgomery had two interviews with the Florida Panthers before they hired Bob Boughner, and spoke with the Los Angeles Kings prior to them hiring John Stevens last year, according to The Denver Post. Montgomery played pro hockey for 12 seasons, including 122 NHL games with the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and the Stars.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.